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Newer stick shifts are often complicated, counterintuitive

Consumer Reports believes that some vehicles' new stick shifts are dangerous

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Updated: 11:52 AM EDT Mar 15, 2017

Newer stick shifts are often complicated, counterintuitive

Consumer Reports believes that some vehicles' new stick shifts are dangerous

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Updated: 11:52 AM EDT Mar 15, 2017

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WEBVTT WHEN DRIVING AND IT COULD BE ADANGER.LISA GONZALES HAS MORE ON THEWARNING.>> FOR DECADES, CARS WITHAUTOMATIC TRANSITIONS HAD ASTRAIGHTFORWARD SHIFTER.BUT NEW CARS HAVE A SHIFTER THATFUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY.THE NEW DESIGNS CAN SET MODELSAPART OR ADD A TOUCH OF LUXURYBUT CONSUMER REPORTS WARNS THATTHE NEW DESIGNS COULD BECOMPLICATED.>> THE PROBLEM WITH THEUNCONVENTIONAL GEAR SELECTORS ISTHAT THEY MAKE IT HARD TOCONSISTENTLY PICK THE CORRECTGEAR, ESPECIALLY PARK.WORST CASE, THE CAR COULD ROLLAWAY.>> I HAVE A SHIFTER WHICH IS AMONO STABLE ELECTRONIC SHIFTER.WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ITALWAYS RETURNS TO THE CENTERWHICH MEANS IT IS HARD TO SEEWHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN.AND PUTTING IT I PARK, THERE ISA SMALL BUTTON WHICH IS BLOCKEDBY THE STEERING WHEEL.>> SINCE IT ISN'T OBVIOUSWHETHER THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE INGEAR, NEUTRAL OR PARK, IT ISPOSSIBLE FOR THE CAR TO ROLLAFTER THE DRIVER GETS OUT.BUT SOME MANUFACTURERS HAVEBUILT IN SAFEGUARDS.SOME AUTOMATICALLY RETURN TOPARK IF THE DOOR OPENS WITH THEENGINE ON OR IF THE ENGINE ISSHUT OFF IN GEAR TO PREVENT THEROLE OF WAYS.CONSUMER REPORTS BELIEVE SOSTRONGLY THAT THESE SHIFTERSCOULD BE DANGEROUS THAT IT NOWDEDUCTS POINTS FOR CARS THATDON'T HAVE TILT IN FAILSAFES

Newer stick shifts are often complicated, counterintuitive

Consumer Reports believes that some vehicles' new stick shifts are dangerous